Ingredients

• Splash oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 small onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 1⁄4 tsp cloves, ground
• Pinch cinnamon
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp veg stock
• Large pinch salt
• 90g red lentils
• 1 courgette
• 1 tin chickpeas
• 1⁄2 block of creamed coconut
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat the mustard seeds in the oil on a low heat, cover & leave whilst the mustard seeds pop and release natural flavour and aroma.
2. Meanwhile chop the onion, add this to the pan when the mustard seeds have stopped popping.
3. Stir to cook onion & add the crushed garlic & chopped courgette and spices.
4. Once the courgette is starting to look cooked, add the lentils along with some water the tinned tomato, coconut, salt & stock.
5. Cover & leave the lentils to cook, stir occasionally to stop sticking, add more water if necessary.
6. Once lentils are soft add chickpeas and cook through until piping hot.
7. Serve with flatbreads or rice.

See more of Dina’s recipes and cooking tips on her website, or by following her on Twitter or Instagram.

This recipe is based on my mother’s and is super addictive. Ground lentils are mixed with onions, green chillies, spices and fresh coriander to make a batter, which is dropped very quickly by hand into hot oil to make these irresistible fritters.

If you’re around Brick Lane during Ramadhan you’ll spot some of the Bangladeshi cafés with their shopfront windows opened up so you can look in on large pans of fritters being fried – a real treat to watch.

There’s something so comforting about the smell of frying onions and spices that I’m always hard pressed to avoid buying a brown paper bag full of dhaler bora and tucking into them straight away.

SERVES 4-6 • Vegan – Wheat Free – Gluten Free

Ingredients

• 200g red split lentils, soaked 30 minutes
• 2–3 green chillies, chopped
• 2 medium onions, quartered and finely sliced
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon chilli powder
• 4 heaped tablespoons gram flour
• 3 tablespoons chopped coriander
• 500ml vegetable oil, to deep fry

Method

1. Drain the lentils and coarsely grind them with the green chillies using a hand blender or food processor.
2. Put the sliced onion into a bowl along with the salt and mix together thoroughly with your hand. Add the turmeric, cumin, chilli powder, gram flour and coriander and scrape in the ground lentil mix. Switch to a spoon and mix thoroughly to form a batter that is loose enough to drop off a spoon – if the mix is too thick, loosen it with a dash of water.
3. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over high heat. Once hot (test with a tiny bit of batter – if it sizzles and floats to the surface, the oil is hot enough), reduce the heat to medium and use your hand to carefully drop small golf ball sized portions into the oil, a dozen or so at a time. You can use a tablespoon instead of your hand if you aren’t feeling confident but you won’t get the distinct rounded shape.
4. Reduce the heat to low and cook for six or seven minutes, turning regularly until the fritters are deep golden all over.
5. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a dish lined with kitchen paper. Continue cooking in batches until the batter is finished. Serve immediately with some sliced red onions and chopped fresh chillies.

Cook’s tip – it’s important to keep an eye on the heat as you cook the dhaler bora. Turn heat up to medium-high as you drop the batter into the pan (the temperature drops once the batter falls in); then, once you have a full batch frying, turn the heat to low. This will help them become fully crispy.

SERVES 2-3

Ingredients

• 300g red split lentils, washed and drained
• 1.5 tbsp cooking oil, coconut oil or ghee
• 1 litre of water
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger (leave the skin on)
• 1 tomato, chopped or 100ml passat
• ½ tsp. dried red chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 0.5 tsp ground cumin
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• salt & pepper

Method

1. In a medium pan, add the oil and then the onion, Soften on a medium heat for 5-8 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, ginger to the pan and cook for 2-2 minutes.
3. Add the curry powder, coriander, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and dried red chilli flakes . Stir for about 30 seconds.
4. Add the tomato, lentils  and 800ml of the  water stir until all completely mixed together.
5. Season generously salt and pepper.
6. Optional extra: In a frying pan, add 1-2 tablespoons of oil and get very hot. (Take care!)
7. Add a handful of curry leaves, teaspoon of mustard seeds, caraway seeds and a sliced red chilli. Fry for a couple of minutes and then pour over the dal and stir through before serving.

Lisa @_fussfreefoodie shared this delicious recipe over on our Instagram feed earlier in the week. Now you can make it at home too!

SERVES 2-3

Ingredients

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Thumb length ginger, grated
• 350g beetroot, trimmed and clean, 1cm dice
• 250g red split lentils, washed
• 900ml water
• 150ml passata (or handful of tomatoes)
• 1 ½ tbsp garam masala
• ¾ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground pepper
• 25g coconut cream, grated
• oil or ghee
• Optional extras
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 green chilli

Method

1. Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil or ghee to a large pan and add the onion.
2. Cook on a medium heat for 5-8 minutes until the onion has softened.
3. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring all together.
4. Add the garam masala and stir briefly to release the aromas. Add the chopped beetroot, passata (or tomatoes if using), the lentils and 800ml of water.
5. Stir, bring to the boil and simmer on a medium heat with the lid half on/off for around 25 minutes.
6. Add a little more water if the dal starts to dry out.  When the beetroot is cooked and the lentils are soft, it is ready. Season with the salt and pepper and add the grated coconut cream and stir. Taste the dal, adjust the seasoning to taste.
7. In a frying pan, add a 1-2 tablespoons of ghee or oil. Get it hot and add the cumin seeds and chill and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add this to the dal and stir it through.
8. Serve the dal with a chapati or bread of your choice and enjoy!

Pulse ambassador Jenny Chandler has shared her super simple dal recipe from the book Cool Kids Cook.

Dal is one of the cheapest and healthiest dishes you can ever make, it’s delicious too.  You can eat it with boiled rice or flat, Indian-style breads or as a side dish with a curry.

Photo from Cool Kids Cook

SERVES 4–6 AS A MAIN OR 8–10 AS A SIDE DISH

Ingredients

• 250g/1¼ cups red lentils
• 600ml/2½ cups water
• 2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 3cm/1¼ in knob of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 3–4 tbsp vegetable oil, such as sunflower or rapeseed oil
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 x 400g/14oz tin chopped tomatoes
• 200ml/1 cup coconut milk
• Salt

For the tarka topping

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp black mustard seeds or cumin seeds and a pinch of chilli flakes
• a handful of chopped coriander or mint leaves

Method

1. Soak the lentils in the measured water while you prepare the onions, garlic and ginger.
2. Add the vegetable oil to a large saucepan, place it over a medium heat and then add the onions and fry gently until they soften. Next, add the garlic and ginger and stir over the heat until the smell wafts up at you. Sprinkle in the turmeric and take the pan off the heat.
3. Now carefully add the tomatoes, coconut milk and the lentils with their water.
4. Put the pan back on the heat and simmer, or bubble slowly, for about 20 minutes until the lentils have collapsed and you have a creamy mixture.
5. Taste the dal and add salt to balance the flavours.
6. To make the topping, take a small pan and warm the oil over a medium heat, then add the seeds and fry for about a minutes until they begin to pop.
7. Spoon the oil and seeds on top of the dal. Stir and serve with a good sprinkling of chopped coriander or mint.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 200g red lentils
• 50g channa dal
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1.5 tsp turmeric
• 1 tin of full fat coconut milk
• 3 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 1 large white onion, peeled and finely diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped or grated
• 2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger, grated (leave the skin on)
• 1 level tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp mustard seeds

Method

1. Thoroughly rinse the lentils until the water runs clear. Cover and soak for 10 mins, then drain.
2. Put the lentils in a large saucepan with around 1 litre of cold water, the cinnamon stick and the turmeric and bring to the boil. Skim off any froth that surfaces and simmer for one hour or until the lentils are cooked.
3. You may need to top up the dal with extra water if it starts to thicken too much-you are aiming for a soupy texture at the end.
4. Add the coconut milk and a little salt and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes over a gentle heat until it has thickened a little. Stir frequently to stop it sticking and to break down the dal.
5. Take the pan off the heat.
6. In a frying pan over a medium heat add the oil, then fry the onion until soft and golden brown – about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and grated ginger and continue to fry for a further three minutes.
7. Add the spices, stir fry for 2 minutes, then add a little water to stop the mixture catching
8. In a separate dry frying pan, gently toast the cumin seeds & mustard seeds until the mustard seeds start to pop.
9. Add the spiced onion mix and the seeds into the dal, season to taste.
10. Serve topped with fresh coriander, a swirl of yoghurt and bread to scoop up.

This recipe was contributed by Gopal’s Curry Shack.

Photo courtesy Gopal’s Curry Shack

A wonderfully comforting dal from Naomi Devlin’s Food for a Happy Gut.

“Dal is a delicately spiced sauce made from split peas or lentils that can be either porridgey or thin as a soup, according to your whim. Split mung beans (moong dal) make the most easily digested dal, so if you’re adding pulses to your diet, this is a great intro dish.”

Ingredients

FOR THE SOOTHING DAL

• 200g (7oz) moong dal (or other split peas or split lentils)
• 2 tablespoons ghee (or duck or chicken fat)
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 25g (1oz) fresh turmeric root, peeled and finely grated (or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric)
• 2–3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh root ginger
• 1–2 teaspoons chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon tomato purée
• 750ml (24fl oz) boiling water
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Small bunch of coriander leaves

FOR THE COCONUT RICE

• 350g (12oz) brown basmati rice
• 400ml (14fl oz) boiling water
• 400ml (14fl oz) tin coconut milk
• 10 green cardamom pods, cracked open
• Pinch of sea salt

FOR THE ROAST RADISHES

• 600g (1lb 5oz) small pink radishes, trimmed (leave a little tuft of green leaves on, if they have them – the weight given is without leaves)
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• 4–5 bay leaves
• 20g (·1/2oz) nigella seeds
• Few pinches of sea salt

FOR THE PLUM CHUTNEY

• 400g (14oz) greengages or sweet
• plums, stoned and quartered
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh root ginger

Method

1. For the soothing dal, rinse the moong dal and soak for about 2 hours in plenty of cold water, then drain and rinse well. Soak the basmati rice for the coconut rice at the same time in a separate bowl.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the ghee in a pan, then sauté the onion gently for about 5 minutes, while you prepare the aromatics. Grind the coriander seeds using a pestle and mortar, then add to the onion with the turmeric, garlic, ginger and a teaspoon of the chilli powder. Cook gently for about 25 minutes, until the onion is sweet and soft. Stir in the tomato purée and cook a few minutes more, then add the drained moong dal and the boiling water. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for about an hour, until the moong dal has the consistency of a thick soup. Add the salt and more chilli powder if you like and then use a balloon whisk to beat the dal to a velvety smoothness.
3. About 40 minutes before the dal is ready, finish the coconut rice. Drain the rice and rinse well, then put into a lidded pan with the boiling water, coconut milk, cardamom pods and salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook undisturbed until the liquid is all absorbed, about 30 minutes (check by parting the grains to see the bottom of the pan).
4. Turn off the heat, but leave covered for 10 minutes, then fluff up with a fork (pick out the cardamom pods before serving).
5. Meanwhile, put the radishes on to roast while the rice cooks. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Put the radishes on a baking tray, drizzle generously with olive oil and then shake the tray so the radishes are evenly coated. Tuck the bay leaves underneath and scatter with the nigella seeds and salt. Roast for about 30 minutes, until they are just soft to a toothpick.
6. Discard the bay leaves before serving.
7. In the meantime, to make the plum chutney, put the greengages or plums into a small pan with the vinegar, ginger and 125ml (4fl oz) of water. Cover and cook until the fruit collapses, about 10 minutes.
8. To finish the dal, heat the remaining ghee in a frying pan and gently fry the mustard and cumin seeds until they start to pop, about 2–3 minutes, then stir them into the dal with the lemon juice. Stir in the coriander leaves, or scatter them over the dish.
9. Put everything into pretty bowls and let people help themselves. Some thick live natural yoghurt and steamed greens are a good accompaniment.

This recipe by Naomi Devlin was originally published in Food for a Happy Gut. Reproduced here by kind permission of Headline.